Too Late
by Rosie O'Reilly
Summary: The Battle of Hogwarts and how it changes Percy Weasley. QLFC round 5 submission


_**Percy Weasley**_

_**1. Radio**_

_**12. "You never really understand someone until you consider things from his point of view—climb into his skin and walk around in it." TKAM**_

Percy Weasley popped into his broom closet of an office at the Ministry, sighing heavily. Nobody ever understood him. All he wanted to do was please people, no matter who it took from his life. His family hated him, and the Minister treated him like he was a piece of dirt, even though he did everything the Minister asked. He slumped down in his chair and thought about the recent spat with his father, which had destroyed his relationship with his family.

_"Percy, can't you see that Voldemort has got you under his control? He's using you to help strengthen his army!" _

_ "No, he's not, father! You aren't seeing what's really happening because you're blinded by that fool, Dumbledore!"_

_ "Percy, open your eyes. No one even wants to work for the ministry anymore, they're either Imperiused or just plain evil like the Malfoys!"_

_ "I don't care! You and mother and the whole lot of you are idiots if you think that by being under Dumbledore's protection you'll be spared when the time comes. I know where my loyalty lies, and I damn sure will make it known that it's not with you." _

He closed his eyes at those stinging last words he'd left with his father, wishing with every fiber of his being that he could take them back. But it was too late. With Percy, it always was too late.

He just wanted to protect his family, make them see that if they just stuck with him, no harm would come to them. But he couldn't make them see that. He couldn't make them understand that he needed to stay on the safe side, no matter what it meant, or where it took him.

After turning around in his chair, he snuck under his desk and pried open the floorboard under the rug, where he kept his radio. Quietly, he tuned into the illegal station that told the truth about what was happening. As his brothers' voices drifted over him, he began doing paperwork, silently listening for any names he recognized. He thought about his siblings:

Bill: the most serious one in the family (besides Percy, of course), the one with the Fenrir gouge marring his cheek, the one who had a somewhat funny trait stuck inside him somewhere.

Charlie: the most adventurous, the one with the dragon burns across his body, and the one who thought nothing on this planet was dangerous; the one ready to take on the world.

Fred and George: The pranksters, the ones who could make anyone laugh, cry or be sick at the drop of a hat; ready to face the coming evil with defiant minds.

Ron: the one who wasn't quite sure where his place in the world was yet. The one who would protect his friends and family fiercely, no matter if it cost him his own life.

And Ginny, his dear, sweet Ginny: the one ready to give anyone a mouthful if they even looked at anyone she loved wrong, the one who could lift anyone's spirits with just a few simple words; the one who would someday become the greatest wife and mother to ever live.

How could he have let them slip through his fingers so easily?

After well over an hour, he flipped off the dial and tucked the radio back in its hiding place, just in the nick of time.

"Weasley, don't forget, I need that stack of papers done by six o'clock. Not a moment later. Also," the Minister paused, stalking over and handing Percy a list, "I need these picked up from Knockturn Alley by three tomorrow. Don't stay in any one shop for too long." He swept out of the room without a moment's hesitation or a glance backward.

A knock sounded on his door a few seconds later.

"Come in!" he barked. "God knows this doors lock has never worked."

"Don't let the Minister get you down." A lanky woman with short dark hair appeared in his doorway. "He treats everybody like that. No one even likes him, he's such a prat."

"I know, Audrey."

"Hey," she looked at him sharply, concern filling her eyes. "What's gotcha down? If it's this war that's brewin', don't worry about it, it'll blow over in a few months."

"Oh, I don't think so. But it's not that. It's my family. They just don't understand why I'm doing this. They don't see that it's for them. I can't make them see."

"You know… I read once in a Muggle book that 'you never really understand someone until you consider things from his point of view—climb into his skin and walk around in it.' Maybe you should try that. It could help clear things up on both sides. Buck up, things'll get better. They always do." And with those words, she disappeared from his sight. He sighed, and turned to his paperwork once more.

* * *

"Need anything else from me, Minister?" Percy questioned as he slammed the pile down on his desk.

"No, that'll be all today, thank you. How's your family?"

"They're fine, I guess. I don't really know, I lost touch with them about three months ago."

"That's too bad. You should try and fix that. Family's important, you know." Percy nodded once, then turned on his heel, leaving with a thick determination to try and see things from his parent's perspective.

* * *

"That's mental! How is that even possible?" Percy thought out loud, as he read the latest letter from his mother. They all went unanswered, of course. Percy just liked to know what went on in their lives. At Hogwarts, the Carrow's were apparently using the Unforgiveable curses on students, trying to figure out Harry's, Hermione's and Ron's whereabouts. Recently, Luna Lovegood had been captured, and Neville had served many a detention for standing up for the younger students. Percy had spent the last two days racking his brain on how to think the way his parents did, and now he fully understood the extent of their opposition to the Ministry. He couldn't believe that all of this had gone undetected at the Ministry, that no one was being informed. _How could this have gotten past me? I'm the one that does all the paper work, why wasn't this in there? _With a fierce determination, he crumpled up the paper, snagged his jacket off its peg and stormed out of his flat, where he disapparated to Hogsmeade. Loud sirens greeted his ears. _Stupid precautionary measures! Surely, Harry's not dumb enough to waltz right into Hogwarts, they don't need to put these damned sirens up. _He hurried to the closest building. Warmth met him, as well as a very blue pair of eyes.

"Gah!" He jumped back towards the door, ready to run for it.

"Don't worry, it is just I."

"Wait a minute. Don't I know you from somewhere?"

"No, we've never met personally, though I do know all about you. Aberforth Dumbledore, at your service. I presume you're here to see your family, Percy. Follow me."

"But how—"

"No questions." He continued leading him up to the portrait, where he swung it open. "Follow this tunnel until the very end, and there you will find the people who miss you dearly. I don't expect you to get lost, as there are no turnoffs. Off you go." Percy was left with no choice but to obey the instructions, as Aberforth was closing the portal.

"Ginny, you must stay here! We cannot have you running off to fight; I don't want you to be killed." His mother was restraining Ginny from going out into the ongoing battle.

"Hello." Everybody stopped dead in their tracks and turned around to face the new voice. Ginny crossed her arms and huffed, clearly annoyed with his return. Almost everyone else took the cue from Ginny, and started doing their own thing, clearly ignoring him. Percy stood their awkwardly. Fred and George stared at him, mouths agape, from their corner of the room. "I'm sorry, okay?" He started climbing down the ladder next to the hole in the wall. "I was a fool! An idiot! Everything I said you were, I am—was! I was a pompous prat a-a—" Fred let out a string of insults, ending in 'power hungry moron'.

"Yes, I was. I was all of those things. But I've changed—I see things your way now." Percy glimpsed a mass of red hair flying out the door, but forgot about it the minute he was rushed by his twin brothers. After a couple seconds, they quickly detached and went on as if nothing had happened. His mother and father of course, had to pound him with questions on how everything at the Ministry seemed, whether it still was under control.

"Uh, mum… dad? We've got a war going on here; I think these questions can wait until later." Molly, coming to her senses, panicked upon seeing her daughter had disappeared from the room. Arthur rushed after her, followed moments later by the twins and Percy.

Fred and Percy stood with their wands pointed at each other, before realizing they weren't the enemy. As they started being attacked from two sides, the pair went back to back, dueling whomever they saw first.

"Oh hello, Minister! Did I mention I'm resigning?"

"You're joking, Perce! You're actually joking! I don't think I've heard you joke since you were—"

Green and red spells were flung this way and that. Finally, Percy had stunned the Minister so that he fell backwards and knocked himself unconscious. Percy turned around and saw Fred lying face down in the rubble. "Fred! Speak to me Fred, can you hear me? Fred?!" Percy heard a cackling sound and whipped his head up just in time to send a spell after the unfortunate soul who'd decided he could pick on the Weasley family. He flipped his brother's body to check if he was still breathing. No such luck. He threw himself over Fred like a shield, refusing to leave the body, going as far as casting the Cruciatus curse on the Death Eaters and other followers of Voldemorts until help arrived. "Harry! Harry, help me move the body to a safe place! Please, we can't just leave him here!" After they'd positioned him between two stone pillars, Harry left. Percy sat back, still dumbfounded by what had just happened. He stared at the body, looking at the way Fred's hair fell in his face. Gently, he shut his brother's eyes and leaned back, crashing against a column and sobbing until there were no tears left to cry. _You're too late, Percy!_ He reprimanded himself. _You're always too late! This wasn't worth it, was it?! Too late, damn it! Next time, just swallow your pride! No. No, there will not be a 'next time'. There will never be another 'too late.' _ Percy decided, pushing himself off the ground and going to finish fighting alongside his family, deciding to never live on the safe side again. It had cost him too much.


End file.
